1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a label printer, and particularly to a label printer that can switch between a continuous issuing function of issuing a label that remains temporarily attached to a strip of paper and a removal issuing function of issuing a label after taking the label off the paper.
2. Description of Related Art
A removal issuing function has been known as one function of a label printer that issues a label that remains temporarily attached to a strip of paper after printing the label. This function is to issue a label after taking the label off the paper. The label printer switches between the continuous issuing mode of issuing a label that remains temporarily attached to the paper, and the removal issuing mode of issuing a label after taking the label off the paper, if necessary.
For example, a label printer disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-295323 has a removal issuing mode and a continuous issuing mode. When the label printer is used in removal issuing mode, a cover is opened, and a paper roll is housed in a hopper of a printer body. Then, in a wide space where the cover is being opened, the tip of a paper is pulled out until the tip reaches a position where the paper covers a platen roller and a label removal member. The tip of the paper does not pass through a label issuing opening when the cover is closed. As a result, the tip side of the paper is bent at an acute angle by the label removal member, and the paper passes between a pinch roller and the platen roller. In this manner, the paper is set on a removal-issuing paper route in such a way that the paper is pulled out via a paper exit opening.
When the label printer is used in continuous issuing mode, the cover is opened, and a paper roll is housed in the hopper. Then, in the wide space where the cover is being opened, the tip of a paper is pulled out until the tip reaches a position where the paper slightly protrudes from the label removal member. The tip of the paper is forced through the label issuing opening before the cover is closed. As a result, the paper is not bent by the label removal member; the paper is set on a continuous-issuing paper route on the label issuing opening's side in such a way that the paper is directly pulled out along with the label.
In the conventional label printer disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-295323, the setting of the removal issuing mode is completed only by setting the paper roll in the hopper of the printer body and closing the cover. Therefore, the advantage is that the operability is good when the label printer is used in removal issuing mode. However, when the label printer is used in continuous issuing mode, the label paper needs to be inserted into the paper exit opening. Therefore, the operability is not good when the label printer switches to the continuous issuing mode. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-314624 discloses a label printer whose operability has been improved when switching to the continuous issuing mode.
In the label printer disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-314624, with respect to a printer body in which a continuous label strip is mounted, a cover that is to be opened or closed is divided into an open cover and a removal cover. In removal issuing mode, a switching lever is operated to fix the removal cover to the open cover, so that the covers can be opened or closed as one unit. In continuous issuing mode, the switching lever is operated to fix the removal cover to the printer body, so that only the open cover can be opened or closed. In this manner, the only thing that is required to switch between the removal issuing mode and the continuous issuing mode is to operate the switching lever and open or close the open cover.
In the conventional label printers disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-295323 and Japanese Patent Application No. H11-314624, the platen roller is placed on the printer body's side, and a thermal head is placed on the cover's side, and a removal roller is disposed on the cover's side. Therefore, the removal roller can be pressed against the platen roller across the label paper only after the cover is closed. Thus, the advantage is that the operability is good when the label printer is used in removal issuing mode.
However, the label printer disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. H11-314624 is configured in such a way that a large cover thereof is opened in a lateral direction. Therefore, the balance of the left and right portions is not good when the cover is opened, and the problem is that the cover is difficult to open. Moreover, since the appearance thereof is left-right asymmetric, the costs of design and production become high. Furthermore, the small lever needs to be operated to switch between the modes, and the operability should be further improved.